Fracturing pump systems having a hydraulically-driven assembly applying variable amounts of pressure on packing

ABSTRACT

A fracturing pump system includes a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize fluid in the cylinder. The cylinder has at least one cylinder sidewall, packing located to prevent fluid from leaking between the piston and the cylinder sidewall, and a hydraulically-driven assembly configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/690,623, filed Jun. 27, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The current disclosure relates generally to stuffing boxes and to fracturing pump systems using stuffing boxes. A stuffing box is typically a device using packing to seal a rotating or reciprocating shaft against a fluid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. The summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some aspects of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented elsewhere herein.

According to one embodiment, a fracturing pump system includes a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize fluid in the cylinder. The cylinder has at least one cylinder sidewall, packing located to prevent fluid from leaking between the piston and the cylinder sidewall, and a hydraulically-driven assembly configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing.

In one aspect, the hydraulically-driven assembly has a hydraulic supply containing hydraulic fluid; a hydraulic assembly, and a passage from the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic assembly. The hydraulic assembly includes a hydraulic assembly piston for imparting pressure on the packing, and is movable toward and away from the packing. More particularly, the passage runs from the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic assembly piston. The fracturing pump system further includes a control system for adjusting position of the hydraulic assembly piston and thereby adjusting pressure on the packing. The control system includes non-transitory computer memory; a processor in data communication with the computer memory; a sensor in data communication with the processor; a pump in data communication with the processor and in fluid communication with the hydraulic supply; a valve for selectively allowing the hydraulic assembly piston to move away from the packing; and programming stored in the computer memory. The programming, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (a) utilize data from the sensor to determine a desired amount of hydraulic control pressure to be applied to the hydraulic assembly piston; and (b) actuate the pump to selectively allow the hydraulic assembly piston to move toward or away from the packing using the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic supply.

According to some aspects, pressure in the fluid end ranges from 0 psi to at least 10,000 psi. According to further aspects, the fluid pressurized in the cylinder is an abrasive slurry. In still further aspects, the fracturing pump system further includes a power system outputting reciprocating motion to operate the piston in the cylinder. The power system includes at least one item selected from the group consisting of a reciprocating engine, an electric motor, and a gas turbine.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the fracturing pump system further has programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (c) determine a remaining lifespan of at least one sacrificial component. In still yet another aspect, the fracturing pump system further comprises programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (d) automatically stop the piston from pressurizing fluid in the cylinder upon detecting a failure event meeting a threshold warning level. In some aspects, the threshold warning level includes at least one item selected from the group consisting of: a threshold pressure, a threshold block temperature, a threshold fluid temperature, a threshold vibration, and a fluid bypass occurrence.

According to further aspects, the sensor is at least one item selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a counter, a fluid-level sensor, and a vibration sensor.

In still further aspects of the invention, the fracturing pump system includes programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (c) determine condition of at least one component of the fracturing pump system. The fracturing pump system may additionally further include programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (d) automatically stop the piston from pressurizing fluid in the cylinder upon detecting an event meeting a threshold warning level.

In some aspects, the fracturing pump further includes a lubricant and a lubricating pump for supplying the lubricant to the packing, and wherein the control system measures pressure associated with the lubricant and alters operation of the lubricating pump based on the measured pressure.

In still other aspects, the fracturing pump system has a lubricant and a lubricating pump for supplying the lubricant to the packing. The control system measures at least one characteristic associated with at least one item selected from the group consisting of the lubricant and the lubricating pump and subsequently alters operation of the lubricating pump based on the measured characteristic.

According to another embodiment, a system for pumping abrasive slurry has a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize an abrasive slurry in the cylinder. The cylinder has at least one cylinder sidewall. Packing is located to prevent the abrasive slurry from leaking between the piston and the at least one cylinder sidewall. A hydraulically-driven assembly is configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing. The hydraulically-driven assembly includes: (i) a hydraulic supply containing hydraulic fluid; (ii) a hydraulic assembly for interacting with the packing; and (iii) a control system. The hydraulic assembly includes a hydraulic assembly piston to impart pressure on the packing, and is movable toward and away from the packing; and a passage from the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic assembly piston. The control system adjusts a position of the hydraulic assembly piston and thereby adjusting pressure on the packing. The control system includes non-transitory computer memory; a processor in data communication with the computer memory; a sensor in data communication with the processor; a pump in data communication with the processor and in fluid communication with the hydraulic supply; a valve in data communication with the processor for selectively allowing the hydraulic assembly piston to move away from the packing; and programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (a) utilize data from the sensor to determine a desired amount of hydraulic control pressure to be applied to the hydraulic assembly piston; and (b) actuate at least one of the pump and the valve to apply and regulate the desired amount of hydraulic control pressure to the hydraulic assembly piston using the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic supply.

In some aspects, the system further includes programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (c) determine a remaining lifespan of at least one sacrificial component.

In other aspects, the system further includes programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (c) determine condition of at least one component of the system.

In still other aspects, the system further includes programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (d) automatically stop the piston from pressurizing the abrasive slurry in the cylinder upon detecting an event meeting a threshold warning level.

According to still further aspects of the invention, the system further has a lubricant and a lubricating pump for supplying the lubricant to the packing. The control system measures at least one characteristic associated with at least one item selected from the group consisting of the lubricant and the lubricating pump and subsequently alters operation of the lubricating pump based on the measured characteristic.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a method for automatically adjusting pressure applied to packing within a fracturing pump system, includes providing a fracturing pump system and a control system, and using the control system to operate the fracturing pump system. More particularly, the fracturing pump system includes a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize fluid in the cylinder, the cylinder having at least one cylinder sidewall; packing located at the cylinder sidewall to prevent fluid from leaking between the piston and the at least one cylinder sidewall; and a hydraulically-driven assembly configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing. The hydraulically-driven assembly has a hydraulic assembly piston, movable toward and away from the packing, for imparting hydraulic control pressure on the packing; and a passage from the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic assembly piston. The control system includes a processor in data communication with: a sensor; a pump in fluid communication with the hydraulic supply; and a valve for selectively allowing the hydraulic assembly piston to move away from the packing.

The sensor is activated to determine a first attribute of the fracturing pump system. Then, a first hydraulic control pressure is determined based on the first attribute of the fracturing pump system. At least one of the pump and the valve is actuated to apply and regulate the hydraulic control pressure based on the first hydraulic control pressure. The sensor is again activated to determine a second attribute of the fracturing pump system. A second hydraulic control pressure is determined based on the second attribute of the fracturing pump system. Finally, at least one of the pump and the valve is actuated to apply and regulate the hydraulic control pressure based on the second hydraulic control pressure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a section view of a PRIOR ART fluid end design incorporating a manual packing nut and associated seal assembly.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a PRIOR ART packing nut.

FIG. 3 is a section view of a PRIOR ART packing nut and seal assembly.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a PRIOR ART packing nut showing an oil or grease journal for delivering lubrication to the packing and seal faces.

FIG. 5 is a section view of a PRIOR ART packing nut together with an oil or grease journal for injecting lubricant into the packing assembly.

FIG. 6 is a section view of a hydraulically actuated stuffing box according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic of a control system according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hydraulic fracturing pump systems include a power system and a fluid end. The power system typically includes an engine (for example, a diesel or other reciprocating engine, an electric motor, a gas turbine, et cetera), a transmission, and a power end, and the power end in turn includes a crankshaft, reduction gears, bearings, connecting rods, crossheads, crosshead extension rods, and other elements to convert rotational energy from the engine to reciprocating energy. The fluid end is typically a reciprocating high-pressure pump that is driven by reciprocating motion from the power system (and specifically the power end). FIG. 1 shows a section view of a typical prior art fluid end 10.

The fluid end produces very high pressures and flow rates with abrasive fluids for fracking operations, and includes sections where fluid is imported through a suction manifold into a central cylinder and discharged through a discharge manifold. There are typically multiple inner chambers (or “cylinders”) arranged side-by-side to form triplex or quintuplex pumps. A reciprocating piston 18 acts in each chamber to pressurize the fluid. More particularly, typical fluid end assemblies usually include a housing such as a machined steel block that has: a plurality of suction bores each having a suction valve 20 and seat 22; discharge bores each having a discharge valve 24 and seat 26; access ports 30 to enable ease of installation of various components; plunger bores each having a plunger 18 (i.e., piston) and packing seal assembly 32; high-pressure seals 33 and retainers; and other standard elements. The various valves, seals, and plungers control the flow of fracking fluids entering and leaving the fluid end housing from the low-pressure side and the high-pressure side. Safety relief systems for fluid bypass, when present in the prior art, are typically limited to mechanical pop off or burst disk configurations. More particularly, high pressure relief valves (e.g., pop off or burst disc valves) may be mounted externally on the high-pressure fluid side of the fluid end to relieve fracturing fluid pressure and volume to atmospheric conditions if an over-pressure event occurs.

Operating fracking fluid pressure often varies between 0-10,000 psi and can be up to, for example, 15,000 psi. When fluid temperatures and metal temperatures change, the pressures on the seals and seal faces change due to expansion or contraction. The cyclic nature, high pressure, and high fluid rates combined with the chemical and very abrasive characteristics of the fracking slurry result in highly erosive—and high stress—operating environment. There is high risk of washing of materials (erosion) in the seal areas, plunger faces, and fluid end materials which may result in catastrophic failure of the fluid end bodies and assorted assemblies. The valves, seats, plungers, packing seal assemblies, and access bore seals are thus generally classified as expendable elements that fail frequently due, for example, to abrasion and cyclic fatigue.

The plunger 18 and packing seal assemblies 32 in the plunger bores are typically installed and retained by threaded packing nuts 34 that are mechanical in nature, and that are manually set and adjusted. Prior art packing nuts 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d are shown in FIGS. 2 through 5. The packing nuts 34 apply force on the packing assemblies 32 and packing seals 33, and the packing nuts 34 and fluid end bodies have journals 35 (FIG. 4) that are connected to an exterior lubricant pump. The lubricant pump injects or supplies oils and/or grease through the journals to the packings for the purpose of lubricating and cooling the various seal faces. The purpose of the packing seals is to control (e.g., by retaining/containing) the high-pressure fluids while the plungers and reciprocating members move to pressurize the fluids. In other words, the packing seals 33 and assemblies 32 stop high pressure fluids from leaking to atmospheric condition while allowing the plungers 18 to reciprocate. The packing seals 33 are installed within the cylinder bores and around the plungers 18. The packing nuts 34 are threaded into the fluid end body cylinder bores and around the plungers to secure the packing seals in place, and apply pressure on the seals to cause sealing.

During assembly the packing nuts 34 are first seated on the packing assemblies 32, and then turned (i.e., rotated) in order to apply force and compress the seals 33 between the fluid end body 11 and the reciprocating plungers 18. The packing nuts 34 mechanically apply pressure based on rotation and applied torque, compressing the seals 33 and the seal assemblies 32. Pressure is traditionally applied by observation and feel, and is generally not calibrated or accurately quantifiable in nature. In other words, the amount of compression or torque applied to the packing nuts 34 is traditionally not applied by a measurable, recordable, and monitorable form—there is no capability to measure any parameters associated with the performance of the sealing assemblies 32 (for example, set forces, set pressures, hydraulic pressures, hydraulic volumes, torque, specific turns, applied pressures, et cetera), either intermittently or real-time, related to the amount of force being applied on the seals 33 by the packing nut 34, or to indicate wear or condition, other than to visually observe for leaks and manually test for tightness using a hand tool or hand wrench. To complicate the issue, checking seals 33 and seal assembly 32 conditions visually typically requires substantial disassembly, which in turn results in operational down time and labor costs.

Nevertheless, in prior art systems, the design, configuration, operational assembly, and setting of the packing nuts 34 and packing seal assemblies 32 is installed and configured for maximum containment of fracturing fluids and pressures, which are often 10,000 psi or more. This means that the stress and wear points for the bodies, packings, assemblies, and pistons are positioned and set to maximum forces associated with achieving maximum containment in order to contain the maximum pressures within the fluid end. As such, they are always in a maximum state of wear and stress. During operations, the packing nuts 34 and packing seal assemblies 32 loosen with wear and vibration, and then are adjusted intermittently after some sequence of operational events that indicates tightening may be required. Operations personnel perform these intermittent adjustments over unspecified time intervals based on general knowledge and practices, operating environments, and parameters indicating to tighten, which may include, for example, a predetermined volume of fluid pumped, a predetermined number of stages performed, a predetermined number of strokes (as counted by stroke counters, for example), and visual indications of leaking. While some prior assemblies may have a form of locking or stabilizing fixtures to inhibit movement due to vibrations, the assemblies are nevertheless subject to loosening because of vibrations, wears, and compaction of seals—causing operations personnel to ultimately retighten the assemblies by hand back to some unspecified torque.

Additionally, prior art systems lack sensors associated with the packing assemblies 32 for providing information about the performance, state, or condition of the assemblies, and there is no measure of the performance of the lubricating pump, the volume at which it is pumping, or the pressures it is injecting at.

FIG. 6 shows part of new fracturing pump systems 100. In the new embodiments, the mechanical packing nuts and packing assemblies used to adjust the packing seals in the fluid end of traditional systems are omitted. Instead, a pressure-compensating assembly 140 that is hydraulically driven is included to apply pressure to the seals 152 in a variable manner, compensating for changes in wear, temperatures, and pressure dynamics. More particularly, the traditional packing nut 34 is replaced with an assembly 140 having pressure chambers, seals, and hydraulic pistons which are used to apply pressure to (and thereby energize) packing seals 152. Pressure is applied in linear compression, without rotation. This eliminates the rotational moments that are historically required when changing or adjusting the applied pressures to packing assemblies in fracturing pump systems.

Within the new fracturing pump systems 100, focus is directed to three primary component systems: a hydraulic assembly and sealing mechanisms used to energize the seals; a hydraulic supply used to regulate and apply pressure to the hydraulic assembly; and control and sensor systems that in real time adjust the hydraulic pressures applied to energize the packing seals as well as lubrication supplied to these seals. These component systems may be incorporated into the fluid end 111 of the fracturing pump systems 100, and/or into the power system of the fracturing pump systems. In the fluid ends 111, where fluids and fluid mixtures typically range from 0 psi to 10,000 psi or more, and where there are often extreme, heavy duty operating environments due to the pressures and pumping of fluids and the chemical and erosive nature of the pumped materials, these component systems may advantageously control the pressures applied to packing seals 152 and contain high pressure fluids. In the power systems, these components may be used with the power source, gear box, hydraulic drive, et cetera. For purposes of illustration, the new fluid ends are described in additional detail. The terms “seal” and “packing” are used interchangeably herein to refer to a device designed to isolate fluid and/or pressure.

The fluid end configuration 111 in the new fracturing pump systems 100 in purpose and function remain the same as in the design of prior designs. But the manual packing nuts and associated seal assembly systems are replaced by the hydraulically controlled, actuated, and operated piston assembly 140, described in greater detail below, which applies force to the packing seal assemblies and seals based on the hydraulic pressures applied.

As with traditional systems, in the fracturing pump system 100, packing brass 150 surrounds the plunger 118, and packing 152 is provided within the packing brass 150. Pressure is applied to the packing 152 via the hydraulically operated piston assembly 140. The hydraulically operated piston assembly 140 includes a gland nut 142 that surrounds the piston 118 of the fracturing pump system, and specifically, the fluid end 111. Hydraulic fluid seals 144 within the gland nut 142 prevent hydraulic fluid from escaping from the gland nut 142. A hydraulically operated piston 143 within the gland but 142 is in communication with hydraulic line 141 and is operable to apply pressure to the packing 152. Hydraulic piston seals 145 surround the piston 142 to prevent hydraulic fluid from flowing across the piston head. In operation, hydraulic fluid flows from the hydraulic line 141, causing the piston 143 to apply pressure to the packing brass 150, and therefore the packing 152. As will be described in greater detail below, the operation of the hydraulically operated piston assembly 140 for applying pressure to the packing 152 may be automated via a control system 200 (FIG. 7).

A packing lubrication line 160 may be accessible via the fluid end 111. The lubrication line 160 runs to the packing 152, allowing the seals 152 to receive lubrication as needed. One or more sensors 170 (e.g., temperature sensors and/or other sensors) within the fluid end 111 measure various characteristics associated with the piston assembly 140, and communicate with the control system 200 to control the hydraulic pressure to the packing 152 in order to maximize life of the assembly 140 and at the same time maintain the desired operating pressure for the pump. The lubrication line 160 may additionally be controlled via the control system.

The control system 200 manages the hydraulic control pressure (HCP) that is applied to the hydraulic sealing assembly 140 via the hydraulic line 141 and thus to the seal (packing) 152. The control system also manages the lubrication supply system 160. Referring now to FIG. 7, the control system 200 broadly includes a non-transitory computer memory 205, a processor 210 in data communication with the computer memory, at least one input device 215 (e.g., sensor 170) in data communication with the processor 210, a pump 220 in data communication with the processor 210, and control valves 225 in data communication with the processor 210; the pump 220 is in fluid communication with the hydraulic supply 141 used to regulate and apply pressure to the hydraulic assembly 140.

The control system 200 is variable, recorded, and adjusted real time through computer-based algorithms 207 (stored in the computer memory 205) to maintain optimal HCP for keeping the packing 152 from undesirably leaking. The HCP may be selected based on factors such as, for example, sealing surface area, seal type, seal material, seal life, pressure to be contained, pressure applied, and the relationship(s) between such factors. It may be particularly desirable for the HCP to maintain a minimum differential pressure required between the fluid pressure to be contained within the fracking pump and the pressure to be applied to the seals 152, as this may maximize component performance, life, and sealing capabilities.

The relationship between the fluid pressures being contained and the positive pressure required on the seal faces to contain that pressure is controlled, managed, and established automatically by varying the HCP as desired (i.e., by actuating/deactuating the pump 220 and the control valve(s) 225). In addition, manual settings may be included to supplement or override the automatic control of the HCP. Merely as examples, the control system 200 may determine that 1,000 psi fluid pressure in the fluid end of a given fracking-pump system may correlate to a desired HCP of 1,100 psi; or that 2,000 psi fluid pressure correlates to a desired HCP of 2,300 psi. Yet even in those given fracking-pump systems, the HCP may vary over time at those fluid end pressures to account for such things as chemical reactivity, erosion, wear, vibration, compaction, temperature, et cetera, so the example HCP values should be seen as temporary (and not permanent). As merely an example, the pumped materials may chemically react with the seals 152, causing degradation and affecting the HCP. It may be desirable for the control system 200 to be capable of modulating HCP to match fluid end pressures from 0 psi to at least 10,000 psi, and more preferably to at least 15,000 psi.

The input device(s) 215 (e.g., sensor 170) in the control system 200 may measure, for example, pressure in the fluid end 111, HCP, volume of fluid, pressure and/or injection rate of the lubricating pump, number of cycles, optical conditions, temperature, vibration, and other parameters, and the processor 210 may use the data from the sensors 170 and the algorithms 207 in the computer memory 205 to automatically adjust the HCP (via pump 220) and/or the operation of a lubricating pump 230 as needed. The processor 210 may further determine the remaining life of the packing 152 and other components (and especially, but not limited to, sacrificial components), ultimately extending the life of the fluid end 111 and its systems. Thus, when wear occurs to the seals or surfaces, the movement and change can be identified. And changes of temperature, volume, or pressure may indicate traits regarding packing life, condition, and competence to continue sealing.

The new fracturing pump systems 100 may have extended packing lifespans since the packing 152 is maintained in an optimal (or near-optimal, or at least desirable) state, and not subjected to excessive forces or over pressured, which result in premature wear or failure. If the packing 152 does leak (i.e., fluid bypass occurs), it can be identified from various changes in pressure, temperature, and volume, and the control system may automatically stop operation of the fracturing pump system 100 (or parts of the system, as it may be possible in some embodiments to stop cylinders, for example, and to continue operations with remaining cylinders). Therefore, the risk of high pressure fluid releases may be reduced, safety may be improved, and component life may be increased. For example, sensing a change in HCP may be due to bypass of fluid pressure or hydraulic control fluids, indicating seal failure; sensing a change in oil temperature or in block temperature in the seal regions or elsewhere may indicate the presence of increased friction pressures from increased wear or premature failure of components; sensing a change in HCP piston forces may indicate fluid bypass or surface washouts; sensing an increase in HCP above a threshold may indicate fluid bypass; sensing bypass of fluids between the seals and the fluid end bodies may indicate poor seal performance, failure of seal, or washout of fluid end body materials; sensing bypass of fluids between the seals and the reciprocating pistons may indicate seal performance failure or wash of the piston seal faces; sensing bypass around seals may indicate metal erosion; sensing a change in vibration may indicate fluid bypass; et cetera. These active, automatic control features are not possible in the prior art systems having manually-adjusted packing nuts. Moreover, the control system may allow remote monitoring, improving the site and operating safety since the need to enter into the hazardous high-pressure zones and the risks associated with entering therein during operations is reduced or eliminated.

In some embodiments, the new fracturing pump systems 100 are constructed with the hydraulically-driven pressure-compensating assemblies (including the component systems). In other embodiments, the new fracturing pump systems are constructed by removing the mechanical packing nuts and packing assemblies used to adjust the packing seals and adding the hydraulically-driven pressure-compensating assemblies (including the component systems).

Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Embodiments of the invention have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the disclosure presented herein. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. The specific configurations and contours set forth in the accompanying drawings are illustrative and not limiting. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fracturing pump system, comprising: a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize fluid in the cylinder; the cylinder having at least one cylinder sidewall; packing located to prevent fluid from leaking between the piston and the at least one cylinder sidewall; and a hydraulically-driven assembly configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing.
 2. The fracturing pump system of claim 1, wherein the hydraulically-driven assembly comprises: a hydraulic supply containing hydraulic fluid; a hydraulic assembly for interacting with the packing, the hydraulic assembly comprising: a hydraulic assembly piston for imparting pressure on the packing, the hydraulic assembly piston being movable toward and away from the packing; and a passage from the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic assembly piston; and a control system for adjusting position of the hydraulic assembly piston and thereby adjusting pressure on the packing, the control system comprising: non-transitory computer memory; a processor in data communication with the computer memory; a sensor in data communication with the processor; a pump in data communication with the processor and in fluid communication with the hydraulic supply; a valve for selectively allowing the hydraulic assembly piston to move away from or towards the packing; and programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (a) utilize data from the sensor to determine a desired amount of hydraulic control pressure to be applied to the hydraulic assembly piston; and (b) actuate the pump to selectively allow the hydraulic assembly piston to move toward or away from the packing using the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic supply.
 3. The fracturing pump system of claim 2, wherein pressure in the fluid end ranges from 0 psi to at least 10,000 psi.
 4. The fracturing pump system of claim 3, wherein the fluid pressurized in the cylinder is an abrasive slurry.
 5. The fracturing pump system of claim 4, further comprising a power system outputting reciprocating motion to operate the piston in the cylinder.
 6. The fracturing pump system of claim 5, wherein the power system includes at least one item selected from the group consisting of a reciprocating engine, an electric motor, and a gas turbine.
 7. The fracturing pump system of claim 2, further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (c) determine a remaining lifespan of at least one sacrificial component.
 8. The fracturing pump system of claim 7, further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (d) automatically stop the piston from pressurizing fluid in the cylinder upon detecting a failure event meeting a threshold warning level.
 9. The fracturing pump system of claim 8, wherein the threshold warning level includes at least one item selected from the group consisting of: a threshold pressure, a threshold block temperature, a threshold fluid temperature, a threshold vibration, and a fluid bypass occurrence.
 10. The fracturing pump system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is at least one item selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a counter, a fluid-level sensor, and a vibration sensor.
 11. The fracturing pump system of claim 2, further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (c) determine condition of at least one component of the fracturing pump system.
 12. The fracturing pump system of claim 11, further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (d) automatically stop the piston from pressurizing fluid in the cylinder upon detecting an event meeting a threshold warning level.
 13. The fracturing pump system of claim 2, further comprising a lubricant and a lubricating pump for supplying the lubricant to the packing, and wherein the control system measures pressure associated with the lubricant and alters operation of the lubricating pump based on the measured pressure.
 14. The fracturing pump system of claim 2, further comprising a lubricant and a lubricating pump for supplying the lubricant to the packing, and wherein: the control system measures at least one characteristic associated with at least one item selected from the group consisting of the lubricant and the lubricating pump; and the control system alters operation of the lubricating pump based on the measured characteristic.
 15. A system for pumping abrasive slurry, comprising: a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize an abrasive slurry in the cylinder; the cylinder having at least one cylinder sidewall; packing located to prevent the abrasive slurry from leaking between the piston and the at least one cylinder sidewall; and a hydraulically-driven assembly configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing; wherein the hydraulically-driven assembly comprises: (i) a hydraulic supply containing hydraulic fluid; (ii) a hydraulic assembly for interacting with the packing, the hydraulic assembly comprising: a hydraulic assembly piston for imparting pressure on the packing, the hydraulic assembly piston being movable toward and away from the packing; and a passage from the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic assembly piston; and (iii) a control system for adjusting a position of the hydraulic assembly piston and thereby adjusting pressure on the packing, the control system comprising: non-transitory computer memory; a processor in data communication with the computer memory; a sensor in data communication with the processor; a pump in data communication with the processor and in fluid communication with the hydraulic supply; a valve in data communication with the processor for selectively allowing the hydraulic assembly piston to move away from the packing; and programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (a) utilize data from the sensor to determine a desired amount of hydraulic control pressure to be applied to the hydraulic assembly piston; and (b) actuate at least one of the pump and the valve to apply and regulate the desired amount of hydraulic control pressure to the hydraulic assembly piston using the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic supply.
 16. The system of claim 15, further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (c) determine a remaining lifespan of at least one sacrificial component.
 17. The system of claim 15, further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (c) determine condition of at least one component of the system.
 18. The system of claim 17, further comprising programming stored in the computer memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: (d) automatically stop the piston from pressurizing the abrasive slurry in the cylinder upon detecting an event meeting a threshold warning level.
 19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a lubricant and a lubricating pump for supplying the lubricant to the packing, and wherein: the control system measures at least one characteristic associated with at least one item selected from the group consisting of the lubricant and the lubricating pump; and the control system alters operation of the lubricating pump based on the measured characteristic.
 20. A method for automatically adjusting pressure applied to packing within a fracturing pump system, comprising: providing a fracturing pump system comprising: a fluid end having a cylinder and a piston movable to pressurize fluid in the cylinder, the cylinder having at least one cylinder sidewall; packing located at the cylinder sidewall to prevent fluid from leaking between the piston and the at least one cylinder sidewall; and a hydraulically-driven assembly configured to apply variable amounts of pressure on the packing, the hydraulically-driven assembly comprising: a hydraulic assembly piston for imparting hydraulic control pressure on the packing, the hydraulic assembly piston being movable toward and away from the packing; and a passage from the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic assembly piston; providing a control system comprising a processor in data communication with: a sensor; a pump in fluid communication with the hydraulic supply; and a valve for selectively allowing the hydraulic assembly piston to move away from the packing; activating the sensor to determine a first attribute of the fracturing pump system; determining, via the processor, a first hydraulic control pressure based on the first attribute of the fracturing pump system; actuating at least one of the pump and the valve to apply and regulate the hydraulic control pressure based on the first hydraulic control pressure; activating the sensor to determine a second attribute of the fracturing pump system; determining, via the processor, a second hydraulic control pressure based on the second attribute of the fracturing pump system; and actuating at least one of the pump and the valve to apply and regulate the hydraulic control pressure based on the second hydraulic control pressure. 